How to unwind after a day with the family

Comments (9)

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   Rawkkiddoh says Ah the joys of family life. I am lucky, all my family lives in Chicago, so at Christmas, its just my parents. Makes it a little easier on the nerves. Old 97's, perfect to set the mood right. I might even through in a little Rhett Miller to boot. After a long day of visiting, its music, whiskey and pointless t.v. Usually I check to see whats on IFC, and just veg. With MOG, it makes it a little easier to just browse around and throw out the occasional hello.

   Permalink posted 12/25/2006
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   lemontwist says Family is why they invented alcohol. 'Nuff said.

   Permalink posted 12/25/2006
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   Zeroskilz says I understand where you are coming from. I'm the "weird" one in my family too. The bigger problem with my family is that my parents divorced when my brother and I were about 7. Because of custody, etc. we rarely saw my dad's side of the family. With 7 aunts and uncles from that side of the family, I also have a lot of cousins running around. The thing is, I only see them maybe once every 2 years; sometimes longer. I don't have anything against them, but it just doesn't seem like I'm related to them. Well, this year was one of the years where everyone gets together again. I was dreading going. I usually don't have a lot to say and split my time between talking with my dad and enduring the usual rounds of questions about girlfriends, marriage and even kids This year, I decided to try a different tactic. Whenever possible, I turned the conversation to music. This was very effective with my cousins. Nearly everyone loves music and can talk about it. You don't even have to care about the bands they like. You just have to be able to relate what they are saying to how you feel about a particular band. In the end, I was there longer than my dad and my brother. I just got caught up in talking about music and bands I had seen. It really turned out to be a great visit. I don't know if it will work for you or if it will even work for me again. But as I was driving the long dark country roads back to the solace of my house, I started wondering if I hadn't missed out on something by not being closer to them and them being closer to me. Yeah, we're all different, but isn't that the point?

   Permalink posted 12/25/2006
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   carmensandiego says Yes, I know. Vive le difference. It wouldn't be so bad, though, if they didn't try to change me, or ridicule the things I do and like. Today my uncle was making fun of my profession, journalism, and talking about how people major in journalism because it's so easy a halfwit could do it. I wonder how my uncle would feel if I started making jokes about fat people. (He's a lardass. He's the only person I know who's had chemo and actually gained weight.) They're just very materialistic people, and I'm not that way. I wish they would just accept that about me and not see it as a flaw. I don't know why they see it as a flaw. If I could find a way to be closer to them, I would love that. But I don't know how to do that, and sometimes I feel like they're not very interested in being closer to me. I guess their biggest issue with me is that I'm 26 and single. I don't even have a serious relationship. The word "spinster" actually came up.

   Permalink posted 12/25/2006
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   sommer face says This is the first year I didn't feel uncomfortable around my family. I think the xanax and wine I had made it easier, though.

   Permalink posted 12/25/2006
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   Rawkkiddoh says Take those comments, and throw them out the window. I can relate, most of my family is from Chicago. They are Irish, and feel if you are not Irish youre not much. I made the mistake of bringing my girlfriend down one summer. She happened to be asian, and lets just say we never went back again. Although we eventually broke up, I still hear it when I go back to visit. I have always thought, if you are happy with yourself, others shouldnt matter. Family or not, there will always be people who judge you. Just keep your head up, listen to your music, and keep writing. Some of us are impressed with what a journalist does everyday. Merry Christmas.

   Permalink posted 12/25/2006
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   mutterimieli says You just described my family situation and what I do at family gathering. I too am the "wierd" one of the family, but I know I contribute a lot to how they feel about me. I always come home exhausted and I know a lot of it is because I'm worried about what they're going to say to or about me all day that I get terribly tense. Tonight I came home feeling horribly guilty, like I was the worst person on the planet and totally exhausted but when I got home, there was a message on the machine from one of my best friends in Ohio as he was driving back from Milwaukee back to Columbus and it turned my whole mood around. This totally validated the fact that I'm not that horrible of a person because I have people out there that love me not because they have to, but because they want too. Those are the people that know me, understand me and accept me for who I am. And I do what you do to unwind afterwards, sans the alcohol, music, the mutt and chillin'!

   Permalink posted 12/25/2006
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   rhymeswithrawk says Anyone else driven nuts by their family? What do you do to unwind? Black tar heroin. Lots of it.

   Permalink posted 12/25/2006
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   dermahrk says We like you too. And Lisa Germano.

   Permalink posted 12/26/2006

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